Cat scratching post

CAT SCRATCHING POSTS

Cats scratch on things for two reasons: to shed their claws and to mark their territory. To save your furniture from damage, you should provide your cat with a scratching post or two and teach him/her how to use it. The requirements for a good scratching post are:

Vertical posts must be sturdy and tall enough for the cat to stretch its body. Horizontal marking posts are preferred by some cats. Try both types to find out what your cat prefers, or offer one of each.
The posts should be located in prominent areas in your home, not in the basement. Cats often scratch when they wake up from a nap so put one near the cat’s sleeping area.
Attract your cat to the post using catnip. Sprinkle the catnip on the base and into the fabric or hang bags of catnip from the top. Spend time near the post encouraging your cat to interact with it. Play with the cat near the post and incorporate it into your play.
The most important step is to reward the cat every time he/she uses the post. Have yummy food treats nearby and give one to the cat whenever you see him/her scratching the post

Once your cat is using the scratching post you have provided, you can teach him/her that other things are off limits. If you catch your cat scratching the sofa or chair, make a load noise to startle the cat or squirt him/her with a plant sprayer or squirt gun. It is important that the cat thinks the noise or water came out of nowhere. This way he/she will associate the bad thing with the behavior of scratching on the chair, not with you. It’s important to entice the cat to the scratching post and praise him/her for using it.